Ben Lake’s staging yard turnout control project efforts on the N scale Canadian Canyons layout culminate with the wiring and installation of a pushbutton control panel. […]
Canadian Canyons Series: Part 17 – Wiring the staging yard panel
Section: DCC & Wiring
Canadian Canyons Series: Part 14 – Wiring staging yard turnouts to a stationary DCC decoder
In this installment of our Canadian Canyons N scale project layout series, MRVP’s Ben Lake lends his Digital Command Control (DCC) expertise to the effort of connecting the staging yard turnouts to a stationary decoder. Follow along as Ben shares his techniques for installing, wiring, and programming Digitrax components used to activate the previously installed […]
Canadian Canyons Series: Part 15 – Building the panel
For part two of this mini-series, MRVP’s Ben Lake moves forward with the staging yard turnout control installation on our Canadian Canyons N scale project layout. Now that the switch motors are installed, wired, and programmed, Ben shows how to make a stylized, fascia-mounted control panel to house the associated pushbuttons and LED indicators. […]
How-to Library: DCC Installation for large layouts, Part 5 – Going wireless
In this concluding episode of MRVP’s Digital Command Control installation series, David Popp teams up with DCC Programming host Dana Kawala to demonstrate how to add wireless throttles to a large layout. With the railroad untethered, David offers a final overview of the upgrades he made to our HO scale Beer Line layout throughout the […]
How-to Library: DCC Installation for large layouts, Part 3 – Adding a Smart Booster
Enhancing our project layout’s Digital Command Control system to allow additional cabs requires the installation of a power booster. In this episode, David Popp shows how to arrange, install, and connect the NCE Smart Booster components, allowing more users to enjoy the fun of operating of our large, HO scale layout! […]
How-to Library: DCC Installation for large layouts, Part 2 – Adding a cab bus
Ready for the next step to installing Digital Command Control on a large model railroad? In this episode, David keeps the train rollin’ by sharing why, where, and how to add plug ports, before he shows how to install a DCC cab bus under the HO scale Beer Line project layout. […]
How-to Library: DCC Installation for large layouts, Part 4 – Setting up power districts
Tired of hassling with an entire layout shutdown when a single train derails on your DCC layout? We certainly were! In this episode, David Popp explains why it happens, and then shows how to remedy this inconvenience by establishing power districts and adding circuit breakers. Watch to see how these easy fixes pave the way […]
How-to Library: DCC Installation for large layouts, Part 1 – Bus lines
In this all-new MRVP series, watch and learn as David Popp walks you through, step-by-step, the full sequence for installing Digital Command Control on a large model railroad. To get things started, David first provides a quick overview of DCC starter systems, and then he gets to work adding a DCC power bus line under […]
Red Oak Series: DCC system installation
While a complete Digital Command Control (DCC) system installation might not initially sound like a simple process, MRVP’s David Popp sure makes it seem that way in this how-to video. In his demonstration, David paces you through the steps he used to add a Digitrax Super Empire Builder Xtra system to Model Railroader magazine’s 3 […]
Olympia Logging Series: Part 32 – Installing a DCC system
MRVP’s David Popp takes a casual approach to installing a Digital Command Control (DCC) system on our Olympia Logging Co. display-style layout. Follow along as David guides you from opening the NCE starter system box to adding a wiring bus to watching trains run on the On30 layout! […]
Olympia Logging Series: Part 28 – Installing a steam sound decoder
We wanted our On30 Olympia Logging Co. display-style layout to sound as impressive as it looks, so David Popp decided to install a DCC sound decoder in our Bachmann Climax workhorse. Follow along as he shows how to disassemble the locomotive, solder the decoder and speaker wires, position and test the unit, and then re-assemble […]
Olympia Logging Series: Part 19 – Adding LED lighting
After installing the fascia and cabinet, David had the bright idea to keep progress rolling on MRVP’s On30 Olympia Logging Co. layout. In this episode, he assembles, installs, and wires the LED strips used to illuminate our display-style layout. This is our first attempt at using LEDs, so David also shares several helpful installation tips […]
